Shoppers in the United Kingdom expect more than just great products—they want ease, relevance, and a connection with your brand. You need to be able to offer exactly what they’re looking for so that your brand can stand out from the competitive retail scene. But how do you know what matters most to customers?
To get clear answers, you need to ask the right questions. This entails looking beyond general feedback and focusing on specific, measurable aspects of the customer journey. What questions should you ask? Here’s a list that will help you uncover the key factors driving customer satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately, revenue.
How Frequently Do Customers Shop In-Store?
Understanding how often your customers visit physical locations gives you a sense of how relevant your brick-and-mortar presence is in their lives. Resonate CX, a leading provider of customer experience solutions, recently commissioned a market study that offers practical insights into the shopping habits of retail customers in the UK. According to the company’s Current State of Retail Customers: UK Market Research Report 2025, 62% of UK shoppers visit stores weekly, and 12% go daily. Others visit monthly or less frequently.
This means that for many customers, every in-store visit has to count. You’re working with fewer touchpoints, so each one needs to deliver a strong and seamless experience. Knowing how frequently your audience shops in person helps shape the intensity and consistency of your CX efforts.
What Are the Primary Reasons Customers Shop In-Store?
It’s easy to assume customers visit stores simply to make purchases, but the reality is more nuanced. Many UK customers still value physical stores for the convenience of seeing or trying products or for making returns. In fact, Resonate CX’s data shows that being able to get the items immediately is a top reason for shopping in-store (77%), followed by being able to try products (50%), and then skipping the shipping cost (50%).
If your store isn’t built around these needs, then you could be falling short. Efforts such as offering clear product displays and designing efficient changing rooms can help ensure that your in-store experience is tailored to meet these core reasons.
What Customer Experience Elements Influence Purchase Behaviour Once Customers Are in Store?
Once someone walks through your doors, what encourages them to buy? Turns out, the shopping environment matters just as much as the price of the product. Elements like store layout, signage, staff friendliness, and the checkout experience all play major roles in ensuring that customers have a satisfactory customer experience. Resonate CX’s research highlights that customers are highly influenced by product availability and range and how easy it is to look for the items they need.
You need to assess whether your current store setup supports spontaneous purchases or if it’s causing friction. Can your staff point customers to the products they are looking for? Is in-store navigation intuitive? These are small but powerful elements that either support or disrupt the path to purchase.
What Common Customer Experience Pain Points Do Shoppers Encounter?
It’s crucial to identify what’s making your customers frustrated. According to the report, one of the most common pain points is not being able to find the products they need. Others include long queues and the lack of helpful staff.
What’s telling is that these issues aren’t related to product choice, as they’re more about the execution of the in-store experience. If you’re not addressing these pain points proactively, you risk delivering a negative impression that sticks longer than any product benefit.
Which Pain Points Actually Cause Customer Churn or Lead Customers to Go to Other Stores?
While some pain points are inconvenient, there are those that push customers away altogether. The Resonate CX report shows that limited product range (52%), difficulty finding products (42%), and long checkout lines (37%) are also among the most decisive factors in driving churn.
What this tells you is that not all CX issues carry the same weight. Considering this, it’s practical to prioritise solving those that directly impact customer retention. If you fix the things that make people leave, you’re not just improving satisfaction—you’re actively protecting your revenue.
What Next? What Can Be Done to Drive Greater Revenue Through Better Customer Experience?
Once you’ve asked these questions and understood the answers, the next step is to take action. Here’s what the data suggests you should focus on:
● Streamline the in-store experience. Make sure your store is easy to navigate, products are well-stocked, and help is always within reach. Small layout changes and smarter rostering can go a long way.
● Invest in staff training and availability. An approachable and informed team plays a key role in both satisfaction and sales. Empower your staff to assist and resolve issues on the spot.
● Use real-time feedback to adapt quickly. Don’t wait for quarterly reports. To know how customers feel about visits and quickly address their concerns through a customer experience management platform that is capable of closing the loop for every feedback..
● Target known pain points first. Focus your efforts on fixing what frustrates customers the most. Addressing common issues like long queues can have a bigger impact than introducing new technology.
● Focus on what your customers value most. Whether it’s being able to try before they buy, making quick returns, or just getting in and out fast, align your CX strategy with these motivations.
Wrapping Up: Ask the Right Questions to Optimise CX for Your UK Retail Store
To summarise, to truly understand what drives customer experience in UK retail, you need to ask the right questions—how often shoppers visit in-store, why they choose to do so, what influences their decisions once they’re there, and which pain points turn them away. These insights reveal not just what your customers expect, but where you have the greatest opportunity to earn their trust and loyalty. Listening carefully and acting deliberately allows you to transform everyday shopping experiences into lasting relationships—and ultimately, drive meaningful growth.
Our “Current State of Brick-and-Mortar Retail Customers: UK Market Research Report 2025” provides a framework to guide your customer experience strategy. Asking the right questions, guided by concrete data from our report, empowers you to enhance customer satisfaction, build stronger loyalty, and drive higher revenue. Dive into these insights and elevate your customer experience strategy today.
Download the full report for deeper insights and actionable strategies